Auxiliary hydraulic maneuvering system for small boats

Abstract

A hydraulic pump driven by any suitable power source, such as by an electric motor energized from a storage battery supplies water under hydraulic pressure by way of a control valve unit to a plurality of pairs of downwardly and outwardly-inclined nozzles disposed at various locations around the boat's hull above the water line thereof. These include a forwardly-located pair of nozzles on the starboard and port sides respectively and also three pairs of nozzles near the stern of the boat, the first pair upon the starboard and port sides being directed downward and forward for backward maneuvering, the second pair being directed downward and outward on the starboard and port sides respectively for side-wise maneuvering, and the third pair being directed downward and rearward also on the starboard and port sides for forward maneuvering. A first modification makes use of a downwardly and rearwardly directed nozzle with an optional flow-reversing deflector amidships on the transom of the boat. A second modification makes use of solenoid-operated valves controlled from a central control switch unit.

I claim: 
     
       1. A small boat with an auxiliary hydraulic maneuvering system comprising a hull with a bow portion and a stern portion and a transom behind the stern portion and with a water line at which the boat floats when immersed in water, a hydraulic pump having connected thereto a water intake conduit with a water inlet opening adapted to be mounted in the hull below the water line thereof,   power-operated means for driving said pump,   starboard and port bow thrust nozzles adapted to be mounted in and transversely to the hull bow portion on opposite sides thereof above the water line thereof in a downward and outward discharge direction relatively to said hull,   starboard and port stern sidewise thrust nozzles adapted to be mounted in and transversely to the hull stern portion on opposite sides thereof above the water line thereof in a downward and outward discharge direction relatively to said hull,   forward thrust nozzles adapted to be mounted in and transversely to the hull stern portion on opposite sides thereof above the water line thereof in a downward and outward and rearward discharge direction relatively to said hull,   backward thrust nozzles adapted to be mounted in and transversely to the hull stern portion on opposite sides thereof above the water line thereof in a downward and outward and forward discharge direction relatively to said hull,   hydraulic pressure discharge conduit means connecting said pump to said nozzles,   control valve means disposed in said hydraulic pressure discharge conduit means between said pump and said nozzle means in flow-regulating relationship therewith,   and means for shifting said control valve means between closed and open positions thereof.